A compressed air terminal economizer

Abstract

The utility model discloses a compressed air terminal section air device, include: thermal mass flowmeter for real -time measurement compressed air's flow rate, electric valve is controlled by controller, realizes the switch of compressed air air path, controller is used for gathering the flow rate data of compressed air that thermal mass flowmeter detected, sets dynamic flow threshold value to be used for controlling the switch of electric valve, thermal mass flowmeter and electric valve are connected on the communicating pipeline, thermal mass flowmeter is connected with the input of controller through cable, electric valve, the output of controller is connected with through cable. The utility model can reduce compressed air energy consumption in industrial production significantly, improve efficiency, reduce carbon emission, has positive significance to promote green manufacturing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of compressed air technology, specifically relating to a compressed air terminal throttling device. Background Technology

[0002] In manufacturing processes, compressed air is widely used as a crucial power source in various end-use air equipment, such as painting equipment in automobile manufacturing workshops. However, traditional compressed air pipeline management systems have the following significant shortcomings:

[0003] 1. Manual Control: Currently, most compressed air supplies to end-user equipment are controlled by manual valves. This involves installing a valve on the compressed air delivery pipeline, which must be manually closed to cut off the air supply when the equipment stops. This method is not only inefficient but also highly dependent on manual operation, making it difficult to ensure the valve closes correctly at the appropriate time.

[0004] 2. Lack of quantitative management: The existing management system fails to provide quantitative analysis of compressed air consumption by end-user gas equipment and cannot assess the amount of compressed air leakage inside pipelines when equipment is shut down. This lack of information makes it difficult to determine the timeliness and necessity of cutting off the gas supply, resulting in energy waste.

[0005] 3. Lack of real-time monitoring and alarm mechanisms: Traditional methods lack the function of real-time monitoring of equipment gas consumption and leakage, let alone timely alarms in abnormal situations. This means that even if there is a significant leak or an abnormal increase in gas consumption, it is impossible to take rapid action, which may lead to equipment damage or greater energy waste.

[0006] 4. Inconvenient operation: Before each start-up of the terminal gas equipment, the valve needs to be manually opened to restore the gas supply. This operation not only increases the workload, but may also cause the production line to stop due to operation delays, affecting production efficiency.

[0007] 5. Poor equipment compatibility: Most compressed air management devices on the market can only control one terminal air-consuming device at a time, lacking effective multi-device management or expansion capabilities. This limits their application on large-scale production lines and increases the complexity and cost of the system.

[0008] In summary, existing compressed air terminal equipment management methods have significant shortcomings in terms of automation, monitoring, alarms, and equipment compatibility, and there is an urgent need for a more intelligent, efficient, and adaptable compressed air saving solution that can meet the needs of large-scale production lines. Utility Model Content

[0009] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide a compressed air terminal energy-saving device that addresses the shortcomings of the prior art. This device can significantly reduce compressed air energy consumption in industrial production, improve efficiency, and reduce carbon emissions, which is of positive significance for promoting green manufacturing.

[0010] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is: a compressed air terminal throttling device, comprising:

[0011] Connecting pipes;

[0012] A thermal mass flow meter is installed in series at the inlet end of a connecting pipe to measure the flow rate of compressed air in real time.

[0013] An electric valve, installed in series at the outlet end of the connecting pipeline, is controlled by a controller and is used to control the opening and closing of the compressed air circuit;

[0014] The controller is used to collect compressed air flow data detected by the thermal mass flow meter, set dynamic flow thresholds, and control the opening and closing of the electric valve.

[0015] The thermal mass flow meter and the electric valve are connected to the connecting pipeline. The thermal mass flow meter is connected to the input end of the controller via a cable, and the electric valve is connected to the output end of the controller via a cable.

[0016] In the aforementioned compressed air terminal throttling device, a bypass valve is connected to the connecting pipe. The inlet end of the bypass valve is connected to the inlet side connecting pipe of the thermal mass flow meter, and the outlet end of the bypass valve is connected to the outlet side connecting pipe of the electric valve.

[0017] In the aforementioned compressed air terminal throttling device, the thermal mass flow meter has a measurement accuracy of ±1.5%.

[0018] The aforementioned compressed air terminal throttling device includes an electric valve equipped with an emergency manual control mechanism, allowing manual operation of the electric valve in the event of a power outage or controller failure.

[0019] The aforementioned compressed air terminal throttling device includes a manual control mechanism comprising a handwheel or a wrench, which enables the manual opening and closing of the electric valve through mechanical components that directly act on the electric actuator.

[0020] The aforementioned compressed air terminal throttling device includes three specifications: DN25, DN20, and DN15, comprising the connecting pipe, thermal mass flow meter, and electric valve.

[0021] The aforementioned compressed air terminal throttling device includes a controller that supports connection of multiple thermal mass flow meters and electric valves via the Modbus RTU protocol.

[0022] This utility model has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0023] 1. This invention uses a thermal mass flow meter, which can achieve high-precision measurement, enabling the system to accurately respond to changes in actual demand and avoid unnecessary compressed air consumption.

[0024] 2. The design of the bypass valve and manual control mechanism of this invention ensures that gas supply can still be guaranteed in emergency situations, thereby improving the safety of the entire system.

[0025] 3. This invention can significantly reduce compressed air energy consumption in industrial production, improve efficiency, and reduce carbon emissions, which is of positive significance for promoting green manufacturing.

[0026] The technical solution of this utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a physical structural diagram of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the actual use of this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0030] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the compressed air terminal throttling device of this utility model is installed at the front end of the compressed air inlet pipe of terminal air-using equipment (such as spraying equipment), and includes:

[0031] Connecting pipe 1;

[0032] The thermal mass flow meter 2 is installed in series at the inlet end of the connecting pipe 1 to measure the flow rate of compressed air in real time.

[0033] Electric valve 3 is installed in series at the outlet end of connecting pipe 1 and is controlled by controller 4 to control the opening and closing of compressed air circuit;

[0034] The controller 4 is used to collect the compressed air flow data detected by the thermal mass flow meter 2, set the dynamic flow threshold, and control the opening and closing of the electric valve 3.

[0035] In practice, the dynamic flow threshold includes a minimum flow threshold Fmin and a maximum flow threshold Fmax;

[0036] Fmin: The average leakage flow rate continuously monitored by thermal mass flow meter 2 when the terminal gas equipment is shut down;

[0037] Fmax: The maximum peak flow rate recorded by thermal mass flow meter 2 when the terminal gas-using equipment is operating normally;

[0038] The thermal mass flow meter 2 and the electric valve 3 are connected to the connecting pipe 1. The thermal mass flow meter 2 is connected to the input end of the controller 4 via a cable, and the electric valve 3 is connected to the output end of the controller 4 via a cable.

[0039] In this embodiment, a bypass valve 5 is connected to the connecting pipe 1. The inlet end of the bypass valve 5 is connected to the inlet side connecting pipe 1 of the thermal mass flow meter 2, and the outlet end of the bypass valve 5 is connected to the outlet side connecting pipe 1 of the electric valve 3.

[0040] In this embodiment, the measurement accuracy of the thermal mass flow meter 2 is ±1.5%.

[0041] In this embodiment, the electric valve 3 is equipped with an emergency manual control mechanism, allowing manual operation of the electric valve 3 in the event of a power outage or a malfunction of the controller 4. In principle, when the electronic control system fails due to a malfunction or power outage, the operator can directly drive the electric valve to open and close via the manual control mechanism, ensuring the safety and continuity of the system. In terms of effectiveness, the technology in this embodiment can respond quickly in emergencies, preventing system paralysis or safety accidents caused by electronic control failure. In other embodiments, a wireless remote control function can be added to solve the valve operation problem in environments with long distances or limited visibility.

[0042] In this embodiment, the manual control mechanism includes a handwheel or a wrench, which enables the manual opening and closing of the electric valve 3 by directly acting on the mechanical components inside the electric actuator. Specifically, the electric valve 3 operates on a 24VDC power supply.

[0043] Technically, the design of handwheels or wrenches must consider ease of operation and safety, ensuring rapid manual operation in emergencies. In principle, the manual control mechanism converts human power into the driving force for the electric valve through physical contact, thus opening and closing the valve. In terms of effectiveness, the technology in this embodiment provides a simple and reliable emergency operation solution, ensuring basic operational capability of the equipment even in the event of complete electronic control failure. In other embodiments, hydraulic or pneumatic auxiliary mechanisms can be added to address the difficulty of manual operation under high loads or special environments.

[0044] In this embodiment, the connecting pipe 1, the thermal mass flow meter 2, and the electric valve 3 all include three specifications: DN25, DN20, and DN15. This can meet the flow measurement needs of end-user gas equipment of different sizes and achieve precise flow control. In other embodiments, the problem of measurement flexibility in situations with large flow variations can be solved by adding an adjustable measurement range function.

[0045] In this embodiment, the controller 4 supports connecting multiple thermal mass flow meters 2 and electric valves 3 via the Modbus RTU protocol to build a centralized monitoring network. The Modbus RTU protocol is a variant of the Modbus protocol, particularly suitable for serial communication. The choice between ASCII and binary encoding depends on the data transmission requirements and the characteristics of the communication medium. In principle, ASCII encoding uses characters to represent data, while binary encoding directly uses binary numbers. Each has its advantages and disadvantages; ASCII encoding is easier to read, while binary encoding saves more space. In terms of effectiveness, the technology in this embodiment ensures the accuracy and efficiency of data transmission, enabling the controller to communicate effectively with various devices. In other embodiments, different encoding methods, such as Unicode encoding, can be used to adapt to the character set requirements of different countries and regions, solving the problem of international communication compatibility.

[0046] Technically, the controller 4 is equipped with a data processing unit and a storage unit, enabling it to receive flow data from the thermal mass flow meter in real time and perform statistical analysis and recording. In terms of effectiveness, the technology in this embodiment provides users with detailed energy consumption data, helping them optimize their gas usage strategies and reduce unnecessary energy waste. In other embodiments, cloud storage functionality can be added to upload data to a cloud server, solving the problem of limited local storage capacity and enabling broader data sharing and analysis.

[0047] Technically, the design of the bypass valve 5 needs to consider its compatibility and sealing with the main gas path to ensure that no additional leakage or interference is introduced during switching. In principle, the bypass valve 5 is normally closed and only opens when the main gas path malfunctions or requires maintenance to maintain gas continuity. In terms of effectiveness, the technology in this embodiment improves the reliability and safety of the system, ensuring that the normal operation requirements of the end-user gas equipment are met under any circumstances. In other embodiments, the problem of rapid switching of the bypass valve in a more automated system can be solved by adding a solenoid-controlled bypass valve 5.

[0048] The working process of this utility model is as follows:

[0049] First, the controller 4 collects the operating status information of the terminal gas-consuming equipment in real time through its connection with the equipment.

[0050] Next, the thermal mass flow meter 2 continuously monitors the compressed air flow rate and transmits the data to the controller 4. The controller 4 collects the compressed air flow rate data detected by the thermal mass flow meter 2 and sets a dynamic flow threshold. When the detected flow rate is lower than 90% of the minimum flow rate Fmin and remains below it for more than a preset time t1, the controller 4 automatically closes the electric valve 3 to reduce unnecessary compressed air leakage. Simultaneously, when the flow rate exceeds 120% of the maximum air consumption Fmax and remains above it for more than a preset time t2, the controller 4 triggers an alarm to alert the operator to potential internal leaks or other problems with the equipment. t1 and t2 can be set according to the specific usage scenario.

[0051] In addition, the controller 4 can also provide users with detailed reports on the air consumption of the equipment in real time, based on the average hourly compressed air consumption of the terminal air-consuming equipment, helping them to optimize their air consumption strategy and reduce energy waste.

[0052] In addition, when the system encounters a malfunction or requires maintenance, the operator can manually open the bypass valve 5 to ensure continuous gas supply and avoid production interruption.

[0053] The entire working process demonstrates the high efficiency, intelligence, and reliability of the technical solution presented in this application, providing a comprehensive solution for energy-saving management of compressed air.

[0054] Figure 3 Here is an example of the installation of this utility model on a painting equipment in an automobile manufacturing workshop:

[0055] The compressed air terminal throttling device is directly connected to the compressed air inlet of the spraying equipment, and the controller 4 is installed in the equipment control cabinet.

[0056] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and does not constitute any limitation on the present utility model. Any simple modifications, alterations, or equivalent structural changes made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present utility model shall still fall within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A compressed air terminal throttling device, characterized in that, include: Connecting pipe (1); A thermal mass flow meter (2) is installed in series at the inlet end of the connecting pipe (1) for real-time measurement of the flow rate of compressed air; An electric valve (3) is installed in series at the outlet end of the connecting pipe (1) and is controlled by a controller (4) to control the opening and closing of the compressed air circuit; The controller (4) is used to collect the compressed air flow data detected by the thermal mass flow meter (2), set the dynamic flow threshold, and control the opening and closing of the electric valve (3); The thermal mass flow meter (2) and the electric valve (3) are connected to the connecting pipe (1). The thermal mass flow meter (2) is connected to the input end of the controller (4) via a cable, and the electric valve (3) is connected to the output end of the controller (4) via a cable.

2. A compressed air terminal throttling device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A bypass valve (5) is connected to the connecting pipe (1). The inlet end of the bypass valve (5) is connected to the inlet side connecting pipe (1) of the thermal mass flow meter (2), and the outlet end of the bypass valve (5) is connected to the outlet side connecting pipe (1) of the electric valve (3).

3. A compressed air terminal throttling device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The measurement accuracy of the thermal mass flow meter (2) is ±1.5%.

4. A compressed air terminal throttling device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The electric valve (3) is equipped with an emergency manual control mechanism, which allows the electric valve (3) to be operated manually in the event of a power outage or a failure of the controller (4).

5. A compressed air terminal throttling device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The emergency manual control mechanism includes a handwheel or a wrench, which realizes the manual opening and closing of the electric valve (3) through mechanical components inside the electric actuator that directly acts on the electric valve (3).

6. A compressed air terminal throttling device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The connecting pipe (1), the thermal mass flow meter (2), and the electric valve (3) all include three specifications: DN25, DN20, and DN15.

7. A compressed air terminal throttling device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The controller (4) supports connecting multiple thermal mass flow meters (2) and electric valves (3) via the Modbus RTU protocol.

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